CT800 – Vancouver

This is a game between the CT800 and the Mephisto Vancouver, rated at around ELO 2200. Both play at 30 seconds per move.

[White "CT800"]
[Black "Mephisto Vancouver"]
[Opening "Slav Defence"]
[WhiteElo "2100"]
[BlackElo "2200"]
[Date "2016.08.23"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "1/30"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 {Slav Defence.} 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. Nf3 b5
5. a4 b4 6. Ne4 Nf6 7. Nxf6+ exf6 8. e3 Be6 {Qd5 would
have been better.} 9. Bd2 c5 10. Rc1 cxd4 {Nc6 was better.}
11. Nxd4 Bd5 {Be7 was better.} 12. Bxc4 Bxc4 13. Rxc4 Nd7
14. Nc6 Qb6 15. Re4+ Ne5 16. Nxe5 fxe5 17. Rxe5+ Be7
18. Qg4 Qf6 {The queen should have gone to b6, but it is
already lost.} 19. Qe4 Rb8 20. Bxb4 Rxb4 21. Qa8+ Kd7
22. Qxa7+ Kd8 23. Rd5+ Bd6 24. Qa8+ Ke7 25. Qxh8 Rxb2
26. O-O Qg6 {Putting the queen on h6 would have offered
longer resistance.} 27. Qa8 Qf6 28. a5 Bb8 29. a6 Qh6
30. g3 Qb6 31. Rfd1 Qc7 32. Rd8 g6 33. Qd5 Kf6 34. Rd7
Qxd7 35. Qxd7 Ra2 36. Qd8+ Kg7 {Black resigned.} 1-0

    CT800 vs. Mephisto Vancouver

 1.  d2-d4   d7-d5 (Slav Defence)
 2.  c2-c4   c7-c6
 3. Nb1-c3   d5xc4
 4. Ng1-f3   b7-b5
 5.  a2-a4   b5-b4
 6. Nc3-e4  Ng8-f6
 7. Ne4xf6+  e7xf6
 8.  e2-e3  Bc8-e6 (Qd5 would have been better.)
 9. Bc1-d2   c6-c5
10. Ra1-c1   c5xd4 (Nc6 was better.)
11. Nf3xd4  Be6-d5
12. Bf1xc4  Bd5xc4
13. Rc1xc4  Nb8-d7
14. Nd4-c6  Qd8-b6
15. Rc4-e4+ Nd7-e5
16. Nc6xe5   f6xe5
17. Re4xe5+ Bf8-e7
18. Qd1-g4  Qb6-f6 (The queen should have gone to b6,
                    but it is already lost.)
19. Qg4-e4  Ra8-b8
20. Bd2xb4  Rb8xb4
21. Qe4-a8+ Ke8-d7
22. Qa8xa7+ Kd7-d8
23. Re5-d5+ Be7-d6
24. Qa7-a8+ Kd8-e7
25. Qa8xh8  Rb4xb2
26.    0-0  Qf6-g6 (Putting the queen on h6 would have
                    offered longer resistance.)
27. Qh8-a8  Qg6-f6
28.  a4-a5  Bd6-b8
29.  a5-a6  Qf6-h6
30.  g2-g3  Qh6-b6
31. Rf1-d1  Qb6-c7
32. Rd5-d8   g7-g6
33. Qa8-d5  Ke7-f6
34. Rd8-d7  Qc7xd7
35. Qd5xd7  Rb2-a2
36. Qd7-d8+ Kf6-g7
 (Black resigned.)

You can also save the game for offline use with your favourite chess GUI: download game (PGN).

Actually, I wanted to demonstrate a CT800 loss, against an opponent I consider as superior. However, the CT800 refused to just do me the favour and lose.

This game begins as a Slav Defence until suddenly the Vancouver starts thinking that the Queen’s Gambit is a real gambit.

The conventional wisdom is that Black may take the pawn and would like to keep it, but is not able to do so. Trying to hold on will usually bring down all kinds of nasty things upon Black if White plays correctly, and this game is no exception.

Besides, a major point of the Slav Defence is that Black wants White to take on d5, which enables Black to take back with the pawn on c6. The Vancouver keeps the awkward c6 pawn, takes the non-gambit, and hell breaks loose.

The Vancouver just loses its touch and makes some suboptimal moves here and there, but the overall problem is the total lack of perspective.

The CT800 uses its development advantage, drives the black king around and scores the game without committing an error. The Vancouver rather resigns than facing a hopeless endgame.